Written by former Senate education staffer and journalist Alexander Russo, This Week in Education covers education news, policymakers, and trends with a distinctly political edge. (For archives prior to January 2007, please click here. For posts after November 2007, please click here.) Comments on this blog are now closed.

By Alexander Russo February 5, 2007 at 11:20 AM

Last summer, I somewhat over-enthusiastically predicted that there would be a big surge in newspapers with education blogs (Everybody On The Blogging Bandwagon). Well, that didn't pan out exactly, but they're slowly coming on line. And the latest is just started at the St. Petersburg Times in FLA, where Jeff Solocheck is up and running with The Gradebook. Good luck, Jeff! Welcome to the edusphere....

By Alexander Russo February 5, 2007 at 11:00 AM

Thanks to a kind reader, here are the proposed FY08 education budget levels, plus a handy-dandy review by the Labor-HHS Subcommittee staff. Terminations Perkins NCLB Subcommittee Analysis PS: I think this last document isn't up anywhere else. (At least that's what folks are telling me.) If you use it, please link back here rather than snagging the contents and running. Your readers won't mind the extra click....

By Margaret Paynich February 5, 2007 at 6:25 AM

Nanotechnology inches its way into classrooms WaPo Recognizing that changing curricula can be next to impossible, the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network is developing and distributing programs aimed at engaging schools in nanoscale science and engineering education, said Carol Lynn Alpert, director of strategic projects at the Museum of Science, Boston, and a co-principal investigator of the network. California School Under Fire Over Volunteer's Sex Record NYT He confessed to touching the woman but denied molesting the child. He was convicted of two felony sexual batteries — one for the woman and one for the child — and his sentence of probation ...

By Alexander Russo February 4, 2007 at 10:19 PM

Best Of The Week School Reform Hurricane: The Atlantic Monthly's Amy Waldman What's Going On In The Education Industry? Please Ma'am -- Step Away From The Blog On The Hill The Budget Is Coming, The Budget Is Coming Federal Education Budget Update Senate HELP Subcommittee Lineup Teacher Incentive Fund Nearly Eliminated In Budget Agreement The Department of Ed When The EdSec Meets The Blob Clowns To The Left Of Her, Jokers To The Right Labor Budget Leaked -- Where's Education's? NCLB Reauthorization Quick NCLB Reauthorization Not Looking Likely - Still The Education Industry & NCLB Reauthorization Education Policy Fordham Math Grades ...

By Alexander Russo February 2, 2007 at 2:17 PM

The House of Representatives voted to cut interest rates on certain student loans last week. What do you think? Georgia Cummings,Systems Analyst: "But the only excitement I have in my life is the cat-and-mouse game I play with my student loan officer." Jeffrey Cain, Referee: "I can't wait to tell my loan officer that I'll be paying back my loan two weeks earlier than my previously stated goal date of never." Robert Loehman, Body Piercer: "As this will inevitably entice many to purchase more education than they can afford, please let me know when I can buy one of ...